The company responsible for running much of Monte Carlo's leisure programme is the Société des Bains de Mer, which owns a number of hotels, bars and nightclubs, as well as the casino itself. Maintaining quality is a top priority.
Yves Hubert, is the technical manager responsible for audio at some of the top venues, including the Salle des toiles - a multi-purpose lounge that hosts live music, discos and a number of events for television, particularly when the annual Grand Prix circus comes to town. Built in the 1970s, the Salle is right on the shore of the Mediterranean and features two stages, mirror-finished walls, a glass rear wall with windows facing the sea and a retractable roof over its audience area.
A sophisticated L-Acoustics loudspeaker system includes a centre cluster designed specifically to cover the favoured seating position of the Principality's late monarch, Prince Rainier, and speaker processing is handled by two DP226s and a DP224 from UK manufacturer XTA. Hubert uses XTA's AudioCore software to make fine adjustments to processor parameters, but generally uses three main presets.
"The first of these has relatively less bass content in the interests of intelligibility," he says, "because this is a very reverberant space. The second increases the bass for when the roof is open, while the third is for when the Salle stages events for TV and has been designed to minimise feedback when we have lavalier microphones on stage."
Hubert makes careful use of the XTA's built-in limiters, especially during the summer when the Salle's roof is open to the stars that give the venue its name. "We have a relatively low maximum SPL - partly because of all the sonic energy that's moving around, but also because we have a lot of rich and powerful neighbours and they're not the kind of people you want to annoy."
Hubert has adopted a similar solution at the Cabaret Club within Monte Carlo's Casino building. This cosy venue measures just 10 metres from the front of the stage to the back wall, and hosts pre-recorded 'welcome shows' in the early evening, followed by a programme of live jazz featuring some of the world's top names.
"We renewed the audio system here about a year ago," Hubert explains. "The key is flexibility, because you need to have a completely different configuration for different parts of the evening's programme."
The Club's L-Acoustics boxes are processed by a further combination of XTA DP224 and DP226 units, with Hubert again making extensive use of AudioCore software to create his own presets to match the music being performed.
"The clusters are close to the audience, the venue is small, and the speakers are not high," says Hubert. "Acoustic [live jazz] acts can be very dynamic, so our presets are designed to ensure that the music doesn't 'shout' too loud.
"I like the PA and the acoustics in a venue to work together, and there's no need for very high levels when they're doing that. If your public can hear the system, rather than the music, then you're doing something wrong."
(Chris Henry)
